The roofs of conventional grain storage and drying bins typically assume the shape of an inverted cone mounted upon a cylindrical vertical wall structure with a center opening at the apex of the cone to receive the grain. A horizontal metal ring typically surrounds the center opening of the roof. Triangular shaped roof panels extend upwardly from the upper rim of the cylindrical wall of the bin towards the center ring. An apron or flashing of metal material then typically seals the ring and the upper ends of the roof panels to prevent moisture from entering the bin.
Various ways have been devised to provide the flashing or apron for such bins. However, many of these devices are expensive to manufacture or difficult to install, and do not have the requisite strength for such a structure.
It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a flashing apron for use in grain bin roofs which are very strong and which are easily assembled for connection with a center ring and the roof panels of grain bins.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
A flashing apron for use in grain bins roofs which have an inverted conically shaped roof is comprised of a plurality of truncated roof panels having upper ends which are secured to a circular horizontal ring at the apex of the roof. The apron has a plurality of truncated shaped apron segments having opposite concentric arcuate upper ends and lower ends with the length of curvature of the upper ends being less than that of the lower ends. Thus, when the apron segments are assembled in juxtaposition, a composite truncated flashing apron is formed having a circular upper opening of a smaller diameter than its lower circular opening. The apron segments extend downwardly and outwardly from the upper ends.
Each apron segment is comprised of a single sheet of metal with a plurality of spaced crease lines therein wherein the crease lines create a plurality of truncated areas in an upper surface of the apron segment. Each apron segment has a side edge comprising a downwardly bent lip which fits underneath a side edge of an adjacent apron segment which is planar in shape and which lies on or above the bent lip. Suitable fasteners are provided to secure the apron segments together to create a composite flashing apron for mounting around the circular ring at the apex of the grain bin roof.